Jim Hill
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"The Santa Clause" (1994) -- This is perhaps the most infamous of the Disney live action sequels that are currently in pre-production, given that ads for this proposed follow-up film -- "Santa Clause II: The Escape Clause" -- ran in front of "102 Dalmatians" last November. At that time, "Escape Clause" was supposed to go into production after the first of the year and then be released to theaters for Thanksgiving 2001. However, troubles with the script supposedly forced Disney to temporarily postpone production of this Tim Allen film (Though it's been rumored that the real reason that "Santa Clause II" got postponed had more to do with "102 Dalmatians" 's lackluster performance at the box office than it did with any script problems "Escape Clause" may have had.)

Well, evidently, Disney appears to have resolved any and all problems the studio may have had with "Santa Clause II" 's script. Screenwriters Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio did a polish on the project that seems to have met with everyone's approval. (One major highlight of "Santa Clause II" 's new script is a truly funny new character: The Tooth Fairy, a tough talking mug who seems to be modeled after Tony Soprano.) Michael Lembeck is still on tap to direct the film. Brian Reilly and Bobby Newmyer will produce.

So, if all goes according to plan, "Santa Clause II" -- featuring Tim Allen in a dual role -- will go before the camera sometime in early 2002 and will then -- hopefully -- be released to theaters by Thanksgiving of that same year.

Mind you, Miramax -- Disney Studio's art-house arm -- has a few sequels of its own in the works. Among the more high profile projects are "Spy Kids II" and "Spy Kids III." And over at Dimension Films -- the sub-section of Miramax that creates projects that appeal mostly to teens -- in spite of "Scary Movie II" 's disappointing take at the box office this summer, there's still serious talk about the Wayans Brothers going forward with "Scary Movie III."

Of course, just because Disney hires a screenwriter to prepare a script, that doesn't mean that the studio actually has to go forward with production of that film. I personally have read the screenplays to dozens of Disney films that never got made it to the big screen. Among the more memorable scripts I've read were "Good Morning, Chicago" (the never produced sequel to Robin Williams' 1988 hit, "Good Morning, Vietnam"), "Pretty Woman II" and "Roger Rabbit II: The Toon Platoon." All of these scripts had great things in them (Particularly that "Roger Rabbit" sequel. That screenplay had stuff in it that was as funny -- if not funnier -- than the original "Roger Rabbit" film. Plus a great cameo appearance by Eddie Valiant. Plus perhaps the greatest ending gag of all times. Disney should have really found a way to make this movie happen. That's all there is to it. Anyway ... ), but -- for one reason or another -- the studio opted not to go forward with any of these productions.

So let that be a lesson to all you "Tron" fans out there: Just because Disney issues a statement that says that the studio's commissioned a screenwriter to create a script that will serve as the sequel / remake / follow-up to an earlier Disney Studio film ... doesn't mean that that movie is actually going to happen.

Of the six projects that I've listed above ... We'll be lucky if even one of those actually makes it to the big screen.

So here's hoping that Disney actually does go forward with production of  "Tron 2.0" (Great title, by the way) and/or the "Country Bears" sequel (If Paul Rugg -- AKA Manny the Uncanny -- is writing it, this film is bound to be funny). But -- given the current financial conditions in Hollywood -- it's unlikely that either of these proposed films will ever see the light of day.

Even so, they sound kind of intriguing ... Don't they?

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Related Links

• Jim Hill Column on the sequel to Who Framed Roger Rabbit

-- Jim Hill

-- Posted July 31, 2001